Game



May 5, 1942. J. B. GUBBINS GAME Filed April 22,1940

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. Jqr-rss B. GQEBlN-S BTW IQN ATTORNEY May 5, 1942. J. B. GUBBINS GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .nN 8 m m a u N a N E U M W6 T T x s E M J y m l a l i r m d e l 1 F Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT @EFICE GAME James B. Gubiiins, Pittsburg, Calif.

Application April 22, 1940, Scrial'No. 330,850

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to games and more particularly to games which are. played on a charted board with movable playing pieces or units having varying values and effects, which may be increased, decreased, or nullified, respectively at different stages during the playing of the game.

An object of the invention is to provide a game which is both educational and pleasant,- and stimulating to thought about any subject that may be of general interest to alarge mass of the people at any one time; another object-is toprovide a game to visualize shifting conditions in national or international .problems,.such as in war, finance, agriculture and current-subjects, the trends of which have increasing and decreasing values during a cycle oftime. Being a game, it is not intended that actual, theoretical, or scientifically correct conditions may be reproduced or exemplified. The game is intended only to stimulate interest, and be a reflex of the conditions which each player imagines to existin order to win the game. At the present time such a subject of general interest is the European war, and for that reason, the game is here described as applied to army .maneuversand the playing pieces are designated as-soldiers,.arma ments, airplanes, engineering units, etc.

.In adapting the game to other fields, thev shape and values .of the playing pieces maybe appropriately changed to represent units in such other fields. vFor example, in adapting the game as a navy game, the playing pieces would represent fighting ships of different .catagories: submarines, colliers," planes, marines, etc.; in adaptation to'crop movements, playing pieces maybe trainloads of. grain of varying numbers of cars, with cars detachable and shiftable to .different trains, ,or to grain elevator depots. In any exemplifications of the game, the relative values of the playing pieces may be increased, decreased, or transferred from one unit to another during the play of the game. The rules apply to .themovement of playing pieces and the varying values thereof may be changed to cover the particular subject to which the game is being then adapted. As a part of the game, a graphic playing board is employed and this may be likewise altered and made appropriate to the subject of the game. In most instances a territorial map-may be employed as the playing board and this may be varied according to i the selected territory and selected subject of operations on which the game is based.

Having the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the apparatus herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and details of construction of the apparatus and devices may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the calculation of paces.

spirit or sacrificing anyoi the advantages of the invention.

.To more clearly comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is aplan view of -a playing board witha central transverse sight-barrier.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on'line II-II of Fig. l, with sight barrier broken to reduce its height.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, 5, 6. and 7 are perspectives of playing pieces formed and shaped to represent military armament of varying catagories, Fig. 4 including afragmentary portion of playing board.

Fig. 8 is a perspective of another type of playing piece shaped to represent a supply truck.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of anothertype of playing piece formed to represent a unit of infantry.

Fig. 10 is a perspective of another type of playing piece formed to generally represent a bridge.

Fig. 11 is another typeof playing piece formed to represent an airplane.

Referring to the drawings, in which like charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, l0 represents generally a playing board whichpreferably comprises a relatively flat rectangular box I I having its vertical wall divided transversely at a substantially central plane so as to provide a bottom'and a lid which are hingedly connected atone edgeas at l2 so that the box may be opened on such hinges and form two abutting compartments I3, [4,

each of which may be one-half of the playing board. A vertically upstanding screen or sightbarrier l5 extends transversely centrally of the entire playing board and is of sufficient heightso that in ordinarily playing "the game, oneseated player cannot view the playing board of his opponent. The barrier lfimay be conveniently attached to' one of the abutting walls of the compartments l3, M-such as by a hinge i6 having one butt secured to'the' inner face of the abutting wall, and the other butt' secured 'to the lower 1 portion of the barrier, thus providing a barrier which, while secured to the compartment wall ma nevertheless, be folded downwardly'into one of the compartmentswhen thegame is notb'eing played and its 'box-like casing is closed. The barrier. may be supported at its erect vertical position by hinge link ll which has pivot mountings 8 at its, opposite ends to .the side wall of the playing board and to the barrier, respectively. The inner face of the bottom of the compartments l3, l4 may comprise the playing board, which consists of two playing areas 26, 2|, each of said areas being divided into a plurality of playing sections or spaces which are serially numbered, preferablyfr'om 1 to 100, this numbering being preferred since :it facilitateseasy decimal It, is furtherldesirable that the numbers of the sections be at the lower corner of the sections to facilitate view thereof by the player, the numbers being normal to the players on opposite ends of the board.

From rules for playing the game, hereafter set forth, a player is to advise his opponent what particular numbered playing sections, squares or spaces, he is intending to hit with artillery or to which an airplane is directed for discovery cr observation. It will therefore be more convenient to have the serial numbers of the sections or spaces run in reverse order on opposite playing areas of the board, as this provides oppositely corresponding serial numbers and facilitates computations in firing guns and advising opponents the serial numbers of spaces fired upon.

It is preferred, however, that instead of imprinting the numbered playing sections directly upon the inner face of the bottom of the compartments l3, M, such playing areas and numbered sections or spaces be printed on transparent flexible sheets 22, one of such sheets overlying each half or playing area 2|], 2| of the playing board. The transparent sheets 22 are of such size that they fit snugly but with ready removability within the compartments l3, l4 and they may have hinged connection at one edge to the abutting hinged Walls of the compartments I3, M as best shown in Fig. 3, the hinges 23 having one wing secured to the compartment wall and having the other wing fastened to an edge portion of sheet 22 by an eyelet 24. The sheet 22 is provided at its opposite edge with an upstanding finger grip member 25 so that the transparent sheet may be readily lifted on its hinges by the player at that edge of the board.

The game may be played by merely employing the board imprinted with the serially numbered square playing sections, whether they be imprinted upon the playing surface of the compartments l3, I4, or upon the face of the transparent sheets 22. It is, however, desired to provoke an interest of the player in the environment which the game is to represent. The purpose of having the transparent sheet hingedly mounted is in order that a graphic diagram 26 may be inserted beneath the sheet 22 and be visible therethrough. The graphic diagram 26 may pictorially represent any suitable environment for the game and since it is loosely inserted it may be changed from time to time as it is desired to change the environment of the game. For instance, in the present example the graphic diagrams consist of sections of a map of a hypothetical or an actual war zone. Such maps may be portions of actual accurate geographic maps, in which event it is likely that the topographic and geographic character of the map may have no relationship to the geometrical rectangles of the playing sections of the board, but may, nevertheless, serve to keep up an interest in the game since a player may find it interesting to work his playing pieces toward certain strategically important objectives on the map. Such a map is illustrated at the left-hand of Fig. 1, compartment l3, as underlying sheet 22 at that end of the board.

On the other hand, it may be desired to prepare special graphic diagrams, such as maps which are more or less similar to accurate maps, but have their geographic and arterial factors altered sufiiciently so that rivers. railroads, and highways, etc., follow in general the tiers of the sections on the playing .board and thus adapt the playing board to a change in the rules whereby playing pieces may be moved atdouble speed on the line of a railroad or may be impeded by the barrier of a river, except at points indicated as bridges. Such a specially designed map is shown as underlying the sheet 22 at the right hand half of Fig. l, compartment l4. 7

The game is provided with a plurality of playing pieces and in the present exemplification these playing pieces assume a general similitude to military apparatus such as guns of varying Calibers, a supply truck or tank, infantrymen, bridges, and airplanes. There may be one or more of each of these pieces. These playing pieces may be conveniently subdivided into five classes: the operating units of artillery of Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, the supply units of Fig. 8, the man-power or infantry units of Fig. 9, the discovery units or airplanes of Fig. 11, and the engineering units represented by the bridge of Fig. 10.

The operating or artillery units of Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive, are divided into different categories representing varying calibers of guns which is indicated by varying the physical size of the playing pieces and its equipment. For example, in the present exemplification, Fig. 4 is designated as a mm. or large caliber gun; Fig. 5 is a 16 mm. or medium caliber gun; Fig. 6 is a 9 mm. light artillery, next in order of relatively reduced caliber; Fig. 7 is an anti-aircraft gun which is the smallest of the calibers here employed. Each of the operating pieces comprises a gun mount base 30 and a gun 3| mounted thereon, indicating by its physical size the caliber type of that gun. One lower corner at the base of any unit may be cutaway as at 32 to make the serial number of the playing section visible at all times to the player, as shown in Fig. 4. Each gun mount 30 is provided with means to removably and replaceably hold a supply of ammunition for the particular gun, in the present instance being a cavity or recess 33 into which a shell or auxiliary unit 34 may be removably inserted. The recesses 33 and the shells indicated by pegs 34 are of varying sizes in the respective gunmount pieces 30, thereby physically" and visibly indicating the gun to which the shell or peg may be applied as ammunition. If desired, the caliber range and destructive area of each gun, as set forth in the playing rules, may be printed on small slips and pasted on the reverse or rear face of the playing piece, but it is not believed necessary to illustrate this in the drawings.

The supply units of Fig. 8 are provided with a body 35 preferably shaped to resemble, as near as conveniently may be, a supply truck. The truck or supply unit likewise has cavities or re cesses 33 of various sizes therein for removably receiving an additional supply of shells 34 of the respective sizes similar to the shells which are supplied to the respective calibers of operating units. The truck is, therefore, a general unit for supplying auxiliary units or shells to all of the types of guns. The manpower or infantry unit of Fig. 9 is here exemplified as a single block playing piece 36 shaped to generally indicate an infantry unit, such as a file, squad or company. The engineering unit of Fig. 10 is a solid unit indicating a bridge 31. The discovery unit of Fig. 11 is shaped to simulate an airplane 38, which has for its cockpit or cabin a resilient clip 39 under which slips of paper may be releasably inserted for exchange of information or discovcry of facts relative to an opponents strategic or vulnerable spaces, equipment or troops.

It is to be understood that additional details could be added to the game without change of the inventive idea, but it is believed that the ideas of the invention have been sufficiently exemplified by the number of different playing pieces herein mentioned. It could be further itemized by providing varying types of offensive tanks, breaking-down the infantry units 36 into removable files of men, having the files of men replaced by reinforcements brought up by the supply truck in the same manner as replacement of shells for the various categories of artillery guns; or the infantry units may be provided with hand grenades which are exhausted by a players move, and replenished by the supply truck in the same manner as shells for artillery. It is believed that such additions would in no way change the idea of means herein exemplified, and would only serve to complicate the decription of this one form which the invention may take.

The playing of the game, as in all games, must depend on a set of rules which are coordinated with the physical elements, and in order that the advantages of the invention may be understood and applied for the purpose for which it is intended, an example of rules contemplated for use in playing the game is as follows:

The game consists of a playing board, 56 playing pieces, a sight-barrier or screen and maps or charts.

The board is divided at the center by the sight-barrier into two playing areas, each of which is ruled off in squares or sections that are numbered from 1 to 100.

A sight-barrier screen is placed in the center of the board between the two playing areas to obstruct the vision of the players into the territory or playing area of his opponent.

Maps (or charts) of the hypothetical environmlent of the game are provided and these maps may underlie the transparent ruled sheet of the playing board.

The 56 playing pieces are divided into two army units, each unit being classified as follows:

Bridges 1 Trucks 1 Airplanes 4 Squads of infantry 75 millimeter guns (large artillery) 2 l6 millimeter guns (medium artillery) 3 9 millimeter guns (light artillery) 4 Anti-aircraft guns 3 Maps or charts 1 forwardly of the third row of playing sections (Nos. 21 to 30). After the first move the board is clear for movements on any space.

The spaces in the back row of the board (Nos. 91 to 100) are considered as the arm base.

Shells are kept oil. the board and they maybe placed .on the truck :at the base only.

Airplanes are not put on the board. They .are kept to the side and used for discovery or observation only. 1

Who starts the game is decided by the players. One moves after the other in rotation. A move consists of either moving an infantry squad or a gun; shooting .a gun or sending over an airplane. Movements of playing pieces and the range and effect of firing of differing guns, as well as truck and plane moves are explained under their respective headings.

At the start of the game all gun mounts are loaded to capacity with shells, as is also the truck. When a gun is fired it constitutes a move and the shell must be removed and placed ofi the board to be reloaded on the truck whenever the truck reaches the base with its appropriate carrier recesses empty to receive that size shell.

A moveby a player may constitute either moving a piece of equipment for its allowable spaces, or the firing of a gun; both cannot be done on the same move. When a move is made the player tells his opponent he has moved. If a player believes it unwise to move he may remain as is; in suchevent, he tells his opponent he has made his allotted move, but it is not necessary to actually move. When a gun is fired the player must mention the caliber of the gun; also the spaces fired upon must be specifically mentioned. Theserial number of the section or space on which the gun is positioned must also be mentioned, in order that the opposing player may verify whatever that particular character of gun has capacity "to hit in the spaces specified.

When a gun. hits spaces containing any of opponents piecesthey must be immediately removed from the board, and with the exception of the truck, they may not be replaced. When any gun is fired a shell must be removed from the gun mount, and may be replaced only by the supply truck. Even though a gun may have exhausted its shells, it may remain on the board, and its placement moved in its urn, so long as it is not destroyed by an opponent, since its ammunition supply may later be replenished by the supplytruck. If a gun is eifective, under the rules, to hit more than one section, the player must mention the particular sections to be hit by the shell, and if the opponent has equipment in the mentioned sections. such equipment is theoretically destroyed, but if the gun might have been capable within its specified capacity to hit certain sections, but those sections are not those mentioned by the player, any equipment on the unment oned section is not destroyed. To illustrate. a '75 mm. gun hits two longitudinal sections in direct line and two adjoining lateral sections on one side or the other thereof. Takin section 64. a 75-min. shell may hit and 64 or 54 and "64 in direct line. If 64 and '74 are mentioned, the player must also ment oned the lateral spaces to be ailected. s nce such lateral spaces may be either 63 and 73 or 65 and 75.

The truck supplies the shells to the uns. At the start of the ame it is fully loaded and placed anywhere desired. behind the first two rows. It contains one shell for the 75 mm. (heavy) gun; two for the 16 mm. (medium) gun; three for the 9 mm. (light artillery); and three for the antiaircraIt. The truck moves not to exceed two spaces with every move. It is the only piece of equipment allowed to move longitudinal and lateral. When it comes to a space touching a gun, whether straight or diagonally, and if that gun has an empty shell rack, the truck may reload it; shells can only be taken from the specific racks applicable to the adjacent gun. It returns to the base for reloading when necessary, two spaces with each move, as stated before.

When the truck is hit by an opponents shell, it must be taken on and returned to any playing section at the base, but it may be reloaded to its full capacity at the base, the theory being that it and its ammunition was destroyed by the shell hit, and that a new fully loaded truck has been substituted at the base. Putting such new truck on the board constitutes a move, but when an undestroyed truck returns to the base to replenish its supply of ammunition, the mere replenishing of the ammunition is not a move.

75 Millimeter (large gun).-There are two for each playing area, and each carries one shell. The '75 mm. either fires its shell, or it may move ts placement one space forward or one space backward or two spaces sideways. It has a maximum range of fifteen spaces and a minimum range of seven spaces. It hits four of the oppcnents specifically mentioned spaces, two in direct longitudinal line and two on either lateral side thereof.

16 Millimeter (medium gun) .-There are three for each playing area, and each carries two shells. The 16 mm. either fires one of its shells, or it may move its placement, not to exceed two spaces forward or two spacesbackward or three spaces sideways. Its firing capacity is in a straight line only, a maximum range of ten spaces, and no minimum. It hits two of the opponents specifically mentioned spaces, either two in direct line or one in line and one to the side.

9 Millimeter (light artillery) .--There are four for each playing area and each carries four shells. The 9 mm. moves its placement or fires; but whenever two or more of the 9 mm. (light artillery) guns on the board are in continuously adjoining sections, that is, side by side laterally in the same row, they may all fire simultaneously as a battery, as a single move. The moves of placement, however, are always as single units, and not as a battery of a plurality of units. It moves not to exceed three spaces either forward or backward, or any number of sections laterally in the same row. It fires in a straight line; has a maximum range of seven spaces and no minimum. It hits one of opponents specified spaces in direct line; when in battery, one space for each gun, but the specified spaces to be .hit need not be in lateral side by side relation, so long as in direct line and within the seven space range.

Anti-aircraft gun.There are three for each playing area and each carries two shells. The anti-aircraft gun is used only to shoot down airplanes and cannot shoot at any other objective. It moves one space at a time in any direction, either forward, rearward, laterally or diagonally. It is a defensive gun entirely and guards its own space or section on which it has placement and any space touching the one on which it is placed; that is, six spaces if it is on an edge section and nine spaces if it is on a centrally located section, 1. e., if on section 40 it guards six spaces and if on 56 it guards nine spaces. The anti-aircraft gun does not fire across the central barrier or screen. It fires only when an opponent sends over an airplane with a written message for information or discovery of facts about certain areas. If the inquiry pertains to any of the spaces guardedbyan anti-aircraft gun, the anti-aircraft gun fires a shell and the plane is downed. Such result removes one shell from each anti-aircraft gun in the area guarded; that is, if two or more such guns are in the guarded area, each loses one shell. If such a gun has already exhausted its shells, Or if there is no anti-aircraft gun guarding the area covered by the message, the plane is not downed, and the' information requested must be given with the return of the plane. The sending of a plane constitutes a move by the player who sends the plane, but does not constitute a move by the opponent who downs the plane, or returns it with a message.

Airplanes-There are four for each playing area. Planes are used only for reconnaissance, (viewing the opponent players board or playing area). Sending over a plane constitutes a move by the sender. Each flight may ask for a chart of a contiguous group of six playing sections or spaces, two or three spaces wide and three in length, either laterally or longitudinally; for example, longitudinally, 64, 65, 54, 55, 4A, 45, or laterally, 65, 64, 63, 55, 54, 53. The spaces desired to be seen are charted on a paper and handed with the plane to the opponent. If no anti-aircraft gun shoots down the plane, (in which event it is kept by opponent), the equipment in the designated area must be marked on the squares chart-ed and returned with the plane to the sender. Only anti-aircraft guns can down a plane.

Infantry.There are ten units for each playing area. Their playing value does not vary as does the value of the artillery units by firing and replenishing of shells. Each block or unit represents a similar number of infantry men, and may be designated as any desired infantry unit, such as a company or a file or squad, or even a regiment, but since the entire unit may be destroyed by a single shell, realism dictates that a relatively small unit be used as a designation, such as a squad, file or company. At each move, the may move one space in any direction. The infantry is moved up to and on the bridge one space at a time. It remains one move on the bridge and is then placed oil the board directly ahead of the front or first row of numbered sections. The bridge may be moved to any place in the first row using one move to make the change, regardless of the number of spaces moved.

Winning or Losing the Game-The game is lost by either player having all of his artillery guns destroyed (anti-aircraft guns excluded). The game is also lost when a player has less than three squads of infantry left on the board, regardless of the number of artillery pieces he may have left.

But if a player is able to move seven squads over the bridge and off the front of the board he wins the game, regardless of how little artillery he has left, or how many artillery or infantry units his opponent has left on the board.

Every three squads of infantry moved over the bridge lessens by one the number required to be left on the board. That is, if three squads are moved over the bridge, it is only necessary to have two remaining on the board, and if six are moved over the bridge, it is only necessary to have one left on the board.v

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a game having a playing board comprising oppositely disposed playing areas each (11-.

vided into a similar number of playing sections and a sight barrier adapted for perpendicular erection between the playing areas, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces for movement on said sections, including operating pieces of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a portion of said operating pieces having recesses varying in diameter in respective operating pieces for removable mounting therein of subordinate units for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of such operating piece, and subordinate units of differing types adapted for removable mounting in the recesses of the operating pieces, said operating pieces including a supply piece having a plurality of series of re cesses therein for removably receiving said respective types of subordinate units.

2. In a game having a playing board divided into playing sections, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a plurality of said operating pieces having recesses varying in diameter in separate pieces and adapted for removable mounting therein of subordinate units for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of the respective operating pieces, and a plurality of subordinate units adapted for removably fitting into the recesses of the operating pieces, said subordinate units being divided into groups,

each group of which is adapted to removably fit' into the recesses of one type only of the operating pieces whereby a changeable playing may be indicated in the respective types of operating pieces.

3. In a game having a playing board divided into playing sections, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a plurality of said operating pieces having recesses varying in diameter in separate pieces and adapted for removable mounting therein of subordinate units for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of the respective operating pieces, and a supply piece for playing on said sections and having series of recesses therein adapted for removably receiving a supply of each group of subordinate elements.

4. In a game having a playing board divided into playing sections, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a plurality of said operating pieces having recesses varying in diameter in separate pieces and adapted for removable mounting therein of subordinate units for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of the respective operating pieces, and a supply piece for playing on said sections and having series of recesses therein adapted for removably receiving a supply of each group of subordinate elements, one of said operating pieces including clip means for holding a written communication between the players ofthe game.

5. In a game having a playing board comprising oppositely disposed playing areas each divided into a similar number of playing sections and a sight barrier adapted for perpendicular erection between the playing areas to obscure view of opposed players, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces for movement on said sections, said operating pieces being of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a plurality of said operating pieces having, respectively, differing structural characteristics whereby they are, respectively, adapted for removably and replaceably holding thereon of a specific type of subordinate units, and a plurality of subordinate units adapted for removable and replaceable mounting on said operating pieces for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of such operating pieces, said subordinate units being divided into groups having for each group difiering structural characteristics adapted for cooperation with the differing structural characteristics of the respective types of operating pieces whereby said subordinate units in each group are limited to mounting on the respective specific types of the operating pieces.

6. In a game having a playing board comprising oppositely disposed playing areas each divided into a similar number of playing sections and a sight barrier adapted for perpendicular erection between the playing areas to obscure view of opposed players, an assembly of playing pieces comprising a plurality of movable operating pieces for movement on said sections, said operating pieces being of varying types whereby varying playing values may be indicated, a plurality of said operating pieces having, respectively, differing structural characteristics whereby they are, respectively, adapted for removably and replaceably holding thereon of a specific type of subordinate units, and a plurality of subordinate units adapted for removable and replaceable mounting on said operating pieces for visibly indicating a changeable playing value of such operating pieces, said subordinate units being divided into groups having for each group differing structural characteristics adapted for cooperation with the differing structural characteristics of the respective types of operating pieces whereby said subordinate units in each group are limited to mounting on the respective specific types of the operating pieces, said operating pieces including a supply piece having means therein for removably holding a supply of the subordinate units of each group.

JAMES B. GUBBINS. 

